Fire doors are a critical part of fire safety within commercial premises. When correctly specified, installed and maintained, they help restrict the spread of fire and smoke, protect escape routes and support the wider fire safety strategy of a building.
LRG provides commercial fire door installation and maintenance across Sussex, working with businesses, landlords, property managers and organisations throughout Brighton, East Sussex, West Sussex and the surrounding areas.
From replacing individual doors to installing fire doors throughout a commercial property, our team can provide the carpentry and associated building work needed to deliver a professional installation.
Fire Doors Are Part of Your Building’s Fire Strategy
In a commercial environment, a fire door should never be considered in isolation.
Its location, fire resistance, components and operation all need to reflect the wider fire safety arrangements for the premises.
Fire doors can be used to help:
- Protect escape routes
- Maintain fire compartmentation
- Separate higher-risk areas
- Restrict the spread of fire and smoke
- Protect stairways and corridors
- Separate different areas of a building
The exact requirements vary between properties, which is why installation should be based on the needs and fire strategy of the individual building.
Fire Safety Responsibilities for Commercial Premises
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, employers, owners, landlords, occupiers and others with control of non-domestic premises can have responsibilities for fire safety. The designated Responsible Person must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment and put appropriate fire safety measures in place and maintain them.
Fire doors may form part of those measures.
This makes ongoing condition particularly important. A door that was correctly installed several years ago may no longer perform as intended if it has subsequently been damaged, altered or poorly maintained.
Commercial Fire Door Installation
A fire door is more than the door leaf itself.
For the complete doorset to perform as intended, its individual components need to be appropriate for the required specification and installed correctly.
Depending on the doorset, this can include:
- Fire-resistant door leaves
- Compatible frames
- Intumescent seals
- Smoke seals where specified
- Suitable hinges
- Door closers where required
- Fire-rated glazing
- Compatible locks and latches
- Appropriate signage and ironmongery
The surrounding construction is important too.
LRG’s wider carpentry and building capabilities allow us to address the opening, frame and associated finishing work rather than approaching the job as a simple door replacement.
Fire Door Replacement and Upgrades
Older commercial properties can contain doors that are damaged, poorly fitted or no longer appropriate for the requirements of the building.
In other cases, changes to the layout or use of the premises can mean the existing doors need to be reconsidered.
Where replacement is necessary, LRG can remove the existing door and install an appropriate fire doorset based on the specification provided for the property.
Some defects may be capable of repair or adjustment, but this depends on the door, its components, certification and condition. Adding individual fire-rated components to an unsuitable door does not automatically make it a compliant fire doorset.
Fire Door Maintenance
Commercial fire doors can experience considerably more wear than doors within many domestic properties.
In offices, schools, communal buildings and other busy premises, doors may be opened and closed hundreds of times as people move around the building.
Over time, that everyday use can result in:
- Loose hinges
- Damaged seals
- Worn components
- Door or frame damage
- Misalignment
- Problems with self-closing devices
- Excessive gaps
- Damaged glazing
- Doors catching on flooring
- Replacement ironmongery that is unsuitable for the doorset
Government guidance stresses that fire doors need to be kept in good working order and repair, because wear and tear can create defects that undermine their ability to restrict fire and smoke.
Fire Door Inspections and Remedial Work
Regular checks help identify deterioration before it becomes a more significant problem.
An inspection may consider whether the door closes correctly, whether seals and components remain in suitable condition, whether there is visible damage and whether anything has been altered since installation.
Where defects are identified, the next step depends on their nature.
Some issues may require relatively straightforward maintenance or adjustment. Others may require replacement components, repairs to the surrounding structure or a complete replacement doorset.
LRG can undertake the necessary fire door remedial works where these fall within the agreed scope of the project.
Fire Doors in Offices and Workplaces
Office environments can contain multiple fire doors across corridors, stairwells, kitchens, plant areas and other parts of the premises.
Because these doors form part of an actively used workplace, installation and maintenance need to account for both fire safety and everyday usability.
Where work is being completed in an occupied office, LRG can discuss access and scheduling so the practical requirements of the workplace are considered when planning the project.
Fire Doors for Landlords and Property Managers
Managing multiple doors across a larger property can be very different from replacing a single doorset.
Landlords, managing agents and facilities teams may be responsible for properties containing numerous fire doors of different ages and conditions.
Having a clear picture of which doors require attention can help maintenance work be prioritised and planned more effectively.
LRG can undertake installation, replacement and maintenance work across commercial and relevant communal environments, providing a practical construction service for property professionals responsible for maintaining their buildings.
Fire Doors in Multi-Occupied Buildings
Fire safety legislation also applies to relevant common parts of buildings containing two or more domestic premises, including elements such as communal corridors, stairways and fire doors.
There are additional requirements for certain residential buildings in England. For buildings containing two or more domestic premises where the top storey is more than 11 metres above ground level, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require Responsible Persons to undertake quarterly checks of fire doors in communal areas and use best endeavours to check flat entrance fire doors at least annually.
LRG can support landlords and property managers with the physical installation and maintenance work identified as necessary for their properties.
Fire Doors During Commercial Refurbishment
A refurbishment is a natural point to review how fire doors fit within the changing layout of a building.
Creating new rooms, moving walls or changing circulation routes can affect the wider fire safety arrangements of the premises.
Considering fire doors during the design and construction stages means the required openings, frames, walls and finishes can be coordinated properly.
LRG can incorporate fire door installation into wider commercial refurbishment and construction projects, alongside carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, flooring, decorating and other building services.
Fire safety measures must be appropriately maintained, and government guidance specifically states that fire doors need to remain in good working order and repair. The appropriate inspection and maintenance arrangements depend on the premises and its fire risk assessment.
Potentially. Whether repair is appropriate depends on the doorset, certification and type of damage. Some defects can be addressed through suitable remedial work, while others may require replacement.
FD30 refers to a fire-resistance classification associated with at least 30 minutes of fire resistance under the applicable test conditions. The required specification should be established for the individual location and building.
Yes. Installation and replacement work can be planned across multiple areas of a commercial property, with phasing considered where premises need to remain operational.
Yes. Incorporating fire doors into a wider refurbishment can allow the doors, frames, surrounding walls and finishes to be coordinated with other construction work.
Commercial Fire Door Services Across Sussex
Fire doors perform an important job every day, even when they appear to be doing nothing at all. Their effectiveness depends on correct installation, suitable components and ongoing attention to their condition.
LRG provides commercial fire door installation and maintenance in Sussex, from individual replacements and remedial work to larger programmes across commercial properties.
Contact LRG to discuss your premises, the fire door work required and how it can be coordinated around your building.
